The Midcounties Co-operative’s homeworking business has welcomed three new travel agents to its board to share best practice and discuss new ideas.
The new agents on The Personal Travel Agents’ board are Dawn Neicho, Lyndsey West and Jessica Blyth. All have been voted on to the board by their fellow homeworkers for a two year term.
The homeworkers join existing board members Elisha Treserden, Paul Wells and Sally O’Hara, who are currently halfway through their two year term.
The board, which meets four times a year, sanctions key decisions for the homeworking business and represents the interests of the 150-plus self-employed agents who run their businesses in partnership with Your Co-op.
Neicho, who joined the PTAs in 2018, has worked in the travel industry for 44 years at various travel companies in sales and management roles.
She said: “I feel I can really add value by sharing my many years of experience, not just as an agent but having worked for a tour operator as well.
“It feels like the right time to join the Board, having established myself as a successful PTA over the last five years. I applied because I wanted the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the PTAs business, have a say in how it’s run and to spend more time with the management team and the wonderful agents.”
Lyndsey West, who has 25 years’ industry experience and became a homeworker six years ago, said: “I’m looking forward to sharing insights with the HQ team into the daily ups and downs of being a homeworker. We’re all self-employed homeworkers, running our own businesses, but we are part of the Co-op family and being on the board will give me the chance to contribute to how we work together as a team.
“I have never put myself forward for anything like this before, so it was a bit daunting but really rewarding to have been voted in.”
Jessica Blyth, who joined the PTAs in 2018 after working in high street travel agencies and tour operators Gold Crest and French Life Holidays, said: “With a background in both retail and tour operating I bring experience from both sides, and I am excited to be able to support and champion my fellow PTAs’ ideas and suggestions.”
Sheena Whittle, Head of The Personal Travel Agents, said the newcomers to the board were well place to champion the needs and voice of PTAs.
She added: “We have always strived to put the homeworkers’ success and happiness at the heart of everything we do, and the Homeworker Board provides a platform for collaborative decision-making that’s motivated by the best interests of our agents.”
The Personal Travel Agents is part of The Midcounties Co-operative’s travel business, which also has 72 Your Co-op Travel high street agencies, more than 130 high street agencies in The Co-op Travel Consortium and tour operator Co-op Holidays.